Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The Night Before Christmas

I received this as an email from someone.

The Night Before Christmas
========================================
'Twas the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp,
Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ.
The aircraft were fastened to tiedowns with care,
In hopes that come morning, they all would be there.

The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots,
With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots.
I slumped at the fuel desk, now finally caught up,
And settled down comfortably, resting my butt.

When the radio lit up with noise and with chatter,
I turned up the scanner to see what was the matter.
A voice clearly heard over static and snow,
Called for clearance to land at the airport below.

He barked his transmission so lively and quick,
I'd have sworn that the call sign he used was "St. Nick".
I ran to the panel to turn up the lights,
The better to welcome this magical flight.

He called his position, no room for denial,
"St. Nicholas One, turnin' left onto final."
And what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a Rutan-built sleigh, with eight Rotax Reindeer!

With vectors to final, down the glideslope he came,
As he passed all fixes, he called them by name:
"Now Ringo! Now Tolga! Now Trini and Bacun!
On Comet! On Cupid!" What pills was he takin'?

While controllers were sittin', and scratchin' their head,
They phoned to my office, and I heard it with dread,
The message they left was both urgent and dour:
"When Santa pulls in, have him please call the tower."

He landed like silk, with the sled runners sparking,
Then I heard "Left at Charlie," and "Taxi to parking."
He slowed to a taxi, turned off of three-oh
And stopped on the ramp with a "Ho, ho-ho-ho..."

He stepped out of the sleigh, but before he could talk,
I ran out to meet him with my best set of chocks.
His red helmet and goggles were covered with frost
And his beard was all blackened from Reindeer exhaust.

His breath smelled like peppermint, gone slightly stale,
And he puffed on a pipe, but he didn't inhale.
His cheeks were all rosy and jiggled like jelly,
His boots were as black as a cropduster's belly.

He was chubby and plump, in his suit of bright red,
And he asked me to "fill it, with hundred low-lead."
He came dashing in from the snow-covered pump,
I knew he was anxious for drainin' the sump.

I spoke not a word, but went straight to my work,
And I filled up the sleigh, but I spilled like a jerk.
He came out of the restroom, and sighed in relief,
Then he picked up a phone for a Flight Service brief.

And I thought as he silently scribed in his log,
These reindeer could land in an eighth-mile fog.
He completed his pre-flight, from the front to the rear,
Then he put on his headset, and I heard him yell, "Clear!"

And laying a finger on his push-to-talk,
He called up the tower for clearance and squawk.
"Take taxiway Charlie, the southbound direction,
Turn right three-two-zero at pilot's discretion"

He sped down the runway, the best of the best,
"Your traffic's a Grumman, inbound from the west."
Then I heard him proclaim, as he climbed thru the night,
"Merry Christmas to all! I have traffic in sight."

Sunday, December 21, 2008

upDATE

Nov. 19 2008 - Flight Test
- failed
- lots of lesson learned
- even more motivated to be a better pilot, and to come back swinging
- last time I've flown
- not gonna fly anytime soon until after January 18th 2009

Starting January 2009 - NEW C.F.I.
- Thank you Mr. ********** for all the hard work you put into the program
- Welcome Mrs. ********** I look forward to working with you, hopefully not for any progress review boards or flights...I dont mind a flight test with you though :D
- New year = new semester = new schedule = new classes!

December 12 2008 - GOT A JOB! @ a restaurant =<
- it's good way to make money during the break, and a little bit of cash during school
- it's a tough hard job, not like you sit in an office/or an airplane, and do your work, there's lots of carrying heavy things and walking around the restaurant.
- Working both Christmas and New years Eve =<<<<<

CHRISTMAS 2008 - FUN FUN FUN
- It's gonna be fun
- Spent a lot on presents but that's okay, it's only once a year.

January 16-18 2009 - PART 2 "SURVIVAL IN THE BUSH"
- back to Bancroft, in the middle of winter this time!
- going to sleep in the bush for the saturday night, with only 3 small pieces of beef jerky.
- have to boil our own drinking water, using our own fire, and sleep in our own shelters.
- gonna suck but I CAN'T WAIT!

I will try to update more from now on, and not just my training but anything aviation related or just cool news.